Missing elderly El Paso couple turns up safe near Sierra Blanca

A Lower Valley couple missing since Saturday was found safe Monday night in Sierra Blanca, El Paso police said late Monday.

A police spokesman said that Ricardo and Martha Irma Beltran, who are both 75 years old, appeared to be OK when they were located.

Late Monday, details were not immediately available on how the couple ended up in Sierra Blanca, which is about 85 miles east of El Paso.

Hudspeth County sheriff's spokesman Gary "Rusty" Fleming said the couple was actually found near Indian Hot Springs by the Rio Grande about 25 miles south of Sierra Blanca.

Police had been looking for the Beltrans, who had reportedly gone for a ride but did not return. The couple were in a white Hyundai Tucson sport utility vehicle with Texas plates. The Beltrans were known to visit desert areas off Montana Vista, Red Sands and the Clint and San Elizario areas. A police spokesman said that law-enforcement agencies had been using a helicopter to search for the couple's vehicle. Police on Monday had also released a photo of the couple's vehicle taken last year.

Police said the Beltrans had last been seen at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday at their home in the 200 block of Foster Drive near Marion Manor Park.

Advertisement

The Beltrans had not returned and family members told police that it was unusual for them to not check in. Police said concerns had been raised because Ricardo Beltran has various medical conditions that require daily medication and he needs other treatment three times a week.

Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6156. Follow him on Twitter @AaronBrac Reporter Daniel Borunda contributed to this story.